‘I Will Not Protest That, There’s Some Truth’: Mudavadi Defends Suluhu Over Detention and Deportation of Kenyan Activists

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has defended Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu’s controversial remarks following the detention and deportation of several high-profile Kenyan activists, acknowledging that “there is some truth” to the Tanzanian leader’s criticisms of Kenyan conduct.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Tuesday night, Mudavadi appeared to side with President Suluhu, who had accused Kenyan activists of attempting to “interfere” in Tanzania’s internal affairs.

“I will not protest that (Suluhu’s remarks) because I think there is some truth. Let us face a few facts. The level of etiquette, insults, that we see in Kenya, even though we have the freedom of speech, is sometimes going overboard to some extent,” Mudavadi stated.

The diplomatic controversy erupted after People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani, and Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network member Lynn Ngugi were detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on Sunday and subsequently deported to Kenya.

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga was also deported, while activist Boniface Mwangi remains detained in Tanzania awaiting deportation.

The activists had traveled to Tanzania at the invitation of the East Africa Law Society, reportedly intending to attend the trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges.

Activist Boniface Mwangi still remains in the custody of Tanzanian authorities.

President Suluhu addressed the matter on Monday, declaring that foreign activists would not be permitted to “destabilize” Tanzania.

“We have started to observe a trend in which activists from within our region are attempting to intrude and interfere in our affairs,” Suluhu said.

“If they have been controlled in their country, let them not come to disrupt us… they have already destabilized their countries and the only remaining peaceful nation is Tanzania.”

In his interview, Mudavadi emphasized that while he does not support curtailing freedom of speech, he understands President Suluhu’s position as a head of state prioritizing her nation’s sovereignty.

“She (Suluhu) has said that she is unhappy, because they observe what we do here… She is talking from a general viewpoint, and if it is a general viewpoint, then I think she has a point,” Mudavadi said.

When questioned about his ministry’s response to the deported Kenyans, Mudavadi stressed the importance of diplomatic channels and indicated that more time would be needed to gather evidence about the operation details.

The Foreign Affairs CS also highlighted that despite the East African Community (EAC) framework allowing freedom of movement within the region, member states have not ceded their sovereignty to the bloc.

“The Jumuiya has not taken away the sovereignty of the states; the countries have not ceded their sovereignty to the EAC, so it still remains. If there is sovereignty, then a country will make certain decisions. They have taken the decision, so it is the duty through the diplomatic channels to find out what the circumstances were in detail,” he explained.

Uganda

This stance on regional sovereignty echoes similar comments Mudavadi made regarding Uganda’s arrest of opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye in Kenya last year.

In the same interview, Mudavadi defended Kenya’s cooperation with Ugandan authorities in Besigye’s case, citing “national interest” and noting that the Ugandan politician had not formally applied for asylum during his stay in Kenya.

“Uganda is Kenya’s trading partner; a lot of lives and jobs are dependent on that relationship,” Mudavadi said, emphasizing the economic implications of regional diplomatic decisions.

Human rights organizations and opposition figures have criticized Mudavadi’s position, arguing that his comments appear to prioritize diplomatic relations over protecting Kenyan citizens’ rights when traveling within the East African region.

The situation continues to develop as activists have reportedly issued a 24-hour ultimatum to President Suluhu to release Boniface Mwangi, who remains detained in Tanzania.